Man uses a spear to save girlfriend from a mountain lion

Easy to find around here and my favorite is the Fraxinus americana, also known as White Ash or Biltmore Ash.

Tough and free. Must be why I like it.

 

On the tree front.

As most I have been busy just making a living, life tends to get in the way of learning at times.

To this I would like to add a thank you to all that have added to this knowledge base, in this, just this AM I have become aware a tree, that started growing on my place about 10 years ago. Being on the edge of a high bluff it was not flowed in but more like flown in.

It is a handy survival tree and its uses are listed below.

Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii

Fruit:
Female trees bear clusters of round yellowish fruits, about 0.5" in diameter, fleshy, soft, and translucent, containing dark brown seeds. Fruits ripen in September and October but persist until spring, and are poisonous if ingested.
Bark:
Gray or tan, with red-brown scales that develop into narrow plates that peel away from the trunk slightly.
Wood:
Heavy, strong, close-grained, light brown tinged with yellow. It splits easily into thin strips and is used for baskets and the frames of pack saddles.
Similar Species:
Chinese pistache (Pistacia chinensis) has similar leaves that turn orange or red in the fall with red clusters of berries.
Interesting Facts:
The fleshy part of the fruit is rich in "saponins," and was used by Native Americans as a soap substitute; the seeds were used to make necklace beads. The yellow fruits and the common name "wild china" often confuse this species with the non-native Chinaberry tree (Melia azederach).
"

There you have it, a tree that grows a source of soap and can be a staff, can be used to make baskets or heat or shelter.

I found a very small stand of these among my White Ash thicket, and now I know why some of my staffs rotted easily.

 

A staff is nice but add a SKS spike bayonet (many around due to the AWB) and you have a fairly sweet spear....

 

That could be a winner. Keep the blade in a belt sheath until needed. (Not scare the locals) how do they attach? Not familiar with them.

 

Cool idea... super cheap... if the staff fits the ring... should be awesome for a lot of things... good idea @Witch Doctor 01

A Cold Steel Bushman is another good idea IMHO... about the same price with a blade... I like the older ones ....

 

Time to resurrect this old thread... thinking about these again ;0)

Talked to a couple members about the virtues of closed sockets, open sockets, short and long tangs like the Japanese Yari...

Any thoughts out there? heat treated a piece of steel this week... just for this ;0)

 

Closed socket, blade of the large leaf design.

 

@Bear ... What do you think about a modified naginata? a chopping spear... it has many of the benefits of a standard spear with the added ability to chop/hack as well...

 

A good strong blade of most any design will do. When backpacking I am almost an essentialist but like having a strong blade with me--replaces a shovel, cuts what needs to be cut, is defensive or offensive.

 

@HK_User I always liked the look of a closed socket... got a pic of the leaf design you're talking about?

 

@Witch Doctor 01 I love naginata's... full tang design in the originals... need to research a bit more on how the Japanese mounted their pole weapons... I see a hole in the tang like their swords.... but yes I was also thinking of a "naginata" type design... got a pic of what you were thinking?

 

@-06 totally agree with this... thought being like a Cold Steel Bushman... it can be used like a knife as well as quickly deployed onto your walking stick or a quickly procured stick to make a handy "tool"
@Hanzo and I were talking about this and how the feral pigs and boars around here can be surprisingly forward around humans and mighty nasty as a threat... especially when you have little ones and others around ....
A good "tool" can come in handy for unexpected or possible surprises when hiking or camping ... and not necessarily prepped for hunting...

 

Yep this style allows for some chopping and the center rib provides a stronger blade for chopping or for digging.
The blade can be lengthed a bit for a fuller curved blade. This type can also be set up to carry as a sheath knife by adding a short shaft being held in place with a machine screw and nut.

 

My small contribution was to make it a two parter... In addition to the spear head, have an end cap too. Maybe shaped for digging. Can be multi-purpose. Would make a good anchor for use against a charging animal. And when not attached, would be a hand trowel.

 

Areas vary but in my "Zone" a double edged sheath knife is a law breaker. So all be aware of local rules of carry and use.

Of course I am a CCL holder but cannot carry my Bowie Knife. State Reps are trying to change that portion of the law. I will say that in close quarters the Bowie is faster and more deadly than a .45 ACP. I like the Bowie.

 

European Boar spears have a cross bar to preventive charging boar from riding up the spear shaft.
and I like the screw off spear tip idea. Use it as a knife, mount it when needed.

 

I know this may sound like a brag, but, a group of local kids hunt ferral hogs with long knives. Now I only officially know of this as a rumor, it is their choice to do this and their folks do not know. ME? Free choice is one of the freedoms we should all have, no matter how stupid and as long as you understand the risk may be death.

Being good hunters their dogs wear kevlar vest.

 

Actually, the cross bar is there to stand on or jump up and down on.

PUMA sells a high dollar one, Cold Steel sells a cheap punched steel type.


YMMV